Charles Tapper, DE, Oklahoma: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report
By Jeff Olson
Every year handful of players see their draft stock sky rocket after the combine, despite not looking particularly impressive on tape. This year there might be no greater example than Charles Tapper.
He “wowed” scouts with his time in the 40 yard dash and has jumped way up in many draft rankings. Do not be fooled by Tapper’s workout numbers, this is NOT a guy to take before day three of the draft.
Combine Workout
40 yard dash: 4.59 (best in class)
Bench press: 23 reps
Vertical jump: 34.0 inches
Broad jump: 119.0 inches
Strengths
Tapper flashes the physical tools we saw at the combine while on the field. He has ability to close quickly on a QB and to hold strong at the point of attack. He combines his physical gifts with a nice spin move and can make life very difficult for the QB. If Tapper is going to make it in the NFL it will be in this way, as an athletic pass rusher.
I also see an decent understanding of the game from Tapper, playing fundamentally sound in a lot of ways. He won’t be beaten often because he’s out of position or for not knowing where the ball is. This is obviously good for anyone looking for a 4-3 DE, but it also shows that Tapper has something to work with between the ears for anyone who might try him out as a 3-4 OLB.
Weaknesses
The major flaw in Tapper’s fundamentals is his ability to play with leverage. He often plays too high and can be easily pushed around. Because he looks so bad in this part of his game it might be bet to move him to OLB in a 3-4 system. He will not make it as a defensive end unless he improves this area of his game in a big way.
Another big technical flaw in Tapper’s is how slow his is off the snap. He straight line speed doesn’t usually translate in him getting off the line quickly, often being the last guy to move. This neutralizes Tapper as a pass rusher and as a run stopper, lacking the pure power to get a lot of push without a good jump.
While Tapper flashes his athleticism on tape, he also looks very uncoordinated at times. Words I’ve used to describe him include “lumbering” and “child like.” I’m not sure if it’s a balance issue, but there are times when he looks like he’s about to fall down without any help from the other team. Tapper may have looked good in his workouts, but he is definitely not the sum of his parts on the field.
Overview
Tapper has “late round project” written all over him. He’s either a 4-3 DE who is slow off the line and plays way too tall or he’s a 3-4 OLB who has never played the position before. Does he have physical tools that teams would want in a pass rusher? Absolutely. However, that means nothing if he can’t put them together on the field. Look for Tapper to be a late round pick who could develop into a rotational pass rusher after a few years on the practice squad.